Twenty-Four Hours of Midnight
by jobelle516
Summary: Somewhere on the Globe, and in reality, it is Midnight. Alternatives exist and are possible. {blurbs ugh!} 1st chapter is AU Brochel. This is mainly ninety-five percent Glee, a smidge of QAF, so it's not a cross-over in my books.


_**Author notes:** This begins looking from the outside in, and moves to a direct approach to a single audience recipient. This is a re-write of what God should have done ….  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I don't own the copyright to Glee or QAF, but I own the copyright to my imagination and this story is mine with the character names being borrowed so as to entertain. OC's include Scott, Charlotte and some more as you'll discover …  
>I hope you enjoy, as much as I've enjoyed writing ...<em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>~ Lunchtime in the café Hawthorn ~<em>**

"Hi my name is Rachel and I'll be your waitress, here is your menu." Placing the menu to Brody's out-stretched hand, she can't help from fluttering her lashes and bites her lip when his fingers brush hers. "When, when you're ready, …. call me and I'll come and take your order." She can't help from blushing a little more, she finds him so, so cute, today though, she managed to not trip on her words like before.

He noticed how restrained she is and gives her a half smile as she turns and walks back to the counter. Behind there she can relax, he taps the menu toward her, acknowledging that he'll do as she's instructed.

Drinking some of the water she'd poured, and starts browsing whilst waiting for his buddy to arrive. He's been frequenting this café for years, it's one of his favourites, even though his family café is just across the road, it's nice to check out the opposition.

And recently, the opposition hired the most attractive waitress he's seen for a long time.

Time goes by, he's already certain of what he wants to order, so he places the menu down and goes back to his doodling while waiting for his best friend.

Rachel doesn't come over just yet, she knows the routine he's been keeping waiting for his friend to arrive. She attends to other customers and does her best not to be noticed, noticing him.

Back at the counter, folding the napkins, she watches him over her side. Sighing, she wonders today how much older he is than her. And although she isn't as glamorous as some of the ladies he's been seen with, she's much smarter than they are. Oh sure, leaving her schooling early might have it's disadvantages, but if she hadn't, she's certain that she wouldn't have ever met him.

Boxing the napkins up and rubbing the cutlery over, she stands tall and proud of her new accomplishments. The Sister's of the school used to bag her for being tardy at most of her chores and having no dedication to her studies, but now, she has the best reason for turning up early for work, and putting in such a huge effort. So much so, that when her day is over, she's so tired there's no time taken for even lighting up a cigarette. Once an act of rebellion, then a small addiction to a big addiction. Now though, her addiction is hoping to see him, hoping he'll sit in her booth and hoping that one day, cross fingers and wish high wishes, one day he might ask her on a real date.

Smoothing down her apron, adjusting her hair and then a frown appears on her face, as his friend has just turned up. She gathers her notebook, pencil and makes her way to greet them again.

"So, have you chosen what you'd like?" She asks him, and throws the buddy an aggravated look.

The buddy replies, "Yes, he'll have the usual, and I'll have my usual too." The buddy picks up the menu and roughly hands it to her, she turns a terrible red and bites her lip to a: not bite his head off and thereby lose her job, and b: to hold down the tears of humiliation that are building up.

She writes down their usuals, takes the menu, turns and goes to the kitchen to get the cook to make their order up.

As the kitchen doors swing close, the cook lifts her head up to greet her. "Let me guess? They want their usuals?"

"Yes, one chicken avocado salad sandwich and a turkey club salad sandwich. Two coffees, sugar and milk. Two pieces of your best banana cake." Rachel adds to the cook, "Please Mum?"

The cook puts her arms out, and welcomes her daughter for a loving hug. She knows how difficult it is, serving someone you just want to show friendship and affection to, but is just another customer.

Quality time over, food made, coffee made, cake sliced up and served on a plate with the rest of the order. Rachel wheels out their order.

She serves the buddy first, then takes her time to serve the cute guy. "There you go mister, enjoy." She smiles softly to him, and he normally nods a thankyou. But today, he …

"Thank you Rachel, and please call me Brody please?"

Oh gosh, finally he made the move of bringing down a barrier.

His friend interrupts her moment of bliss, he nudges Brody. "Why don't you ask her?" Brody glares at him and Rachel looks perplexed. "Go on Brody, she'd be ideal."

"Shut it Scott." Brody looks up to Rachel, sees her annoyance and tries to simmer what looks like a feisty young lady. "It's alright Rachel, he was just clowning around."

"Well, I have no idea what you're both talking about, but I do believe that a gentleman should ask questions in a more fitting manner than your friend seems to have."

Scott coughs on his coffee, spilling some. Brody doesn't know of a quality come back, but smiles wider hoping that if he does grow a pair, and asks her out, that she would say yes. Because so far, she's displaying all the qualities that none of his 'hopeful wives' possess.

No time is given to venture forth today, she wheels the trolley back to the kitchen and as the doors swing he can see her talking with the cook. The cook, Debbie, nods her head and then Rachel takes her apron off, puts it in the laundry hamper and walks out the back door.

Sitting back in his seat, he watches Scott scoff his food, and then Rachel goes passed the shop window riding a push bike. He strains to watch her riding away, bumping his head on the pane of glass.

"Scott, you are such a jerk. I am going to ask her out, to your birthday party. And I am going to prove you wrong in your opinion of her."

Scott raises his coffee cup, "Cheers to that mate! If you manage to change my opinion of her, I'll be the godfather to your first child."

Brody raises his coffee cup too, "You're on."

They clink cups and down their drinks.

**_~ the next morning ~_**

Brody steps out of his family café, the business is doing well despite the competition around. Speaking of competition, as his foot hits the pavement at the bottom of the last step Rachel has just turned the corner and walks smack bang in to him.

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry." She says, as she steadies herself grabbing his arm.

He holds her shoulders, steadying her and keeping a safe distance of propriety.

"I'm fine, I'm fine Rachel." He steps back in surprise, "Rachel! Well this is good timing, I was just on my way to see you."

"Oh, and you're coming out of another café to come see me. Well we are the best."

"Ahhh yes you are, but um no, I was coming over to ask if you'd like to come to a party this weekend. It's my friend Scott's birthday and I'd like you to be my date?"

They walk up to the crossing, he presses the button.

"Well, I don't know about that."

"Please, do come. I'd like to show him up, and prove him wrong about you, and besides …" He tidies up some hair behind her ear. "I think you'd enjoy annoying him, by coming with me."

Mesmerized by his dreamy Paul Newman voice, the way he stands with the sun beaming down behind him, so rather Heavenly, she takes a moment out of reality and pictures herself in his arms, like in one of the many movies she's just seen at the flicks.

"Hmmm, sounds tempting, I'll have to check with my Mum. I think I might be a bit young for such an occasion …"

**_~ eighteen months later ~_**

Scott is helping Brody unload a truck of furniture, and setting up the family's new home, a sizeable farm at Mt Macedon, a lovely rugged town and area on the outskirts of Melbourne.

"Brody …," Scott starts, "these boxes and furniture seem to be mostly your childhood toys and things."

Beaming smile on his face as he turns to Scott. "They certainly are. I've kept everything I've ever been able to. I shared them with my brother and now I've got a little girl to share them with too, one day I hope she'll be getting a brother or sister to play with them too."

As each box is brought in to the rumpus room it's put to one side, looked in and pushed to another part of the huge room for unpacking later. Settling down with a sweetheart is a goal he's has looked forward to since he graduated law school.

The days of playing the field are over, weekdays filled with case studies and court hearings will be countered with weekends and holiday periods spent on the country property and playing with train sets, tennis courts, car sets both big racing and miniature matchbox, bicycles and playing farmer.

The men walk down the steps to the truck once more, and the 'women folk' are seen wandering among the rose bushes. Brody stops and watches as the ladies gather flowers and place them in a basket. Debbie confidently cuts longs stems and hands them to Rachel.

She looks up and over toward him, and waves happily. He blows her a kiss, she catches it and blows one back to him. Once the basket is full, they'll be going inside to start on the evening meal, in her lovely new kitchen.

Your nanny is looking after you and when you awaken you'll be brought out to spend time with either of your parents, or both if they're together at that time of the day.

However right now, all plans are interrupted as a very big horse float drives up the long winding driveway, thankfully it's not very dusty today.

Rachel puts her basket down on the patio steps, gathers her skirt up and runs down to Brody, who's waiting for her. He reaches out his hand to her, she grabs hold as she bumps in to him. A kiss shared and, "What is this you've got in the horse float?" She asks.

"Well, what else do you have in a horse float?" He asks humorously, the driver has stopped and they walk around to greet him. He gets out of the truck and walks with them to the back of the float.

Undoing the side door, he steps back so the owner can check out his animals.

"Every farm should have horses." Says Brody, he steps back so she can see inside. And inside are two riding horses, one stocky and the other dainty. "And once she learns to walk, she'll be getting her own horse too."

Hand over her mouth, Rachel tries to contain her thrill of what more surprises that this new life is showing her. Tears gather that need wiping and sniffles can't be quietened, Brody cuddles his petite wife and breathes in her scent as he nuzzles into her hair...

**_~ a few years down the track … and Charlotte is growing up so lovely and very fortunate ... ~_**

Adjusting to such a change of lifestyle took some time. Rachel would take you to the city to spend time with her Mum, {your Nana} and brother.

You learned to walk and dance, talk and sing, sew, play the guitar and piano. Your dolls shared occasions of being treated as patients, spending alternating time in a makeshift hospital room or being the nurse or doctor.

Your life included trips to the cinema and plays, music performances by orchestras and trips to Luna Park where you rode all the rides and helped sell tickets to the visiting public.

Being the daughter of a good friend of the owner, had great privileges.

Many sunny days were spent at the different beaches of Port Phillip bay. The beaches of St Kilda offered ice-creams and sharing seas of umbrellas for shade. Your father points to the far left distance where the sandy beaches sweep around to the mouth of the bay.

"Way over there, is Mornington, the beach sand is friendlier to walk on and Charlotte will be able to build sandcastles." Your Dad holds you and explains a new idea to your Mum. "She'll be able to ride her horse on our own private beach and …."

"And play with her brother too." Rachel interrupts, Brody looks down to her and she has her hand on her belly, with a side coy smile.

He throws his other arm around her, pulls her in for a hug and he squashes the three of you together.

"Well then, I'll have to buy that matchbox car-park tower for my car set now."

"Dad, you'll have to let me play with it too." Your sweet child voice interrupts.

"Yes my dear, you can play with them all, and make sure everything works." He taps you on your nose, kisses your cheek and you nuzzle in to his neck.

You swap your right for your left thumb, your wet right thumb and reach out for your Mum to come in to your arm for a hug.

"That reminds me." Rachel pinches your chin. "Your riding outfit arrives tomorrow."

You clap hands of excitement, and throw your arms around her. She has to hold you fast, or you'll both fall over. Brody has no choice but to hand you over, you're not heavy, it's just an awkward angle to be twisted on.

"Is it that shade of red that I like?" An extremely important question, because colours are as important as is being a good rider.

"Yes, and that colour is called scarlet."

Happy smiles between the three of you, each with a very different reason. You hop down and run to one of your friends at the waters edge.

"Well, I suppose the next serious consideration …." Brody begins, Rachel with an arm around his waist listens, "is which school to send her to."

"I really don't want her going to boarding school."

"She's enrolled at four, for consideration. …"

**_~ and a few more years … ~_**

You're a very good student, paying attention and learning well.

Good food, hobbies, socializing both in and out of school time, especially with the circles of society that your family life provide, give you many opportunities to allow a structured but healthy life.

Your riding abilities are adequate, the showings of your horse aren't as successful as your teacher would have liked, but you're more than happy. Socializing is your goal, loving your horse as a friend and competition with your brother is more fun.

In your heart you can feel a strong aching to play nurse and your compassion for the ill is growing as you learn more.

Travelling between properties from Mt Macedon to the Mornington Peninsula is tiring, but the time spent at any one location is well worth it.

Quality family time with relatives in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Sydney, Wollongong have also been terrific. On your mother's side the family is quite large, on your father's side it appears smaller, but that is comparison, everyone is well provided for.

As you've been growing up, becoming a little more independent you've sometimes noticed you've thought you'd heard your name called but not by someone you know.

You'd been at Luna Park and heard your name, turn and no-one there. This isn't annoying, it's just something that you have started to notice, and wonder why.

You go to the Royal Melbourne Shows to compete, but sometimes you've ventured to the carnival side of rides and fairy floss, and heard your name called. One occasion you were certain you'd heard it when you were at the Zoo, with your classmates, you turned to them and they were adamant it wasn't them that had spoken your name.

A week later you and your parents were visiting the Healesville Sanctuary, you and your brother were a little way in front. Listening to a bird twittering, watching as it sang with it's sweetheart, this time your name was said clearer and you looked down at your brother.

"Look over there, she looks like you." Your brother tugs your arm, and you look up to where he's looking.

You see the back of a girl, who then runs away from your direction. Did she see you? Should you call out? There's no time for thinking more because she's rounded the corner and your brother tugs at you again. On looking down to him, he points at a kangaroo that is sitting nearby…

**_~ a little after your sixteenth birthday ~_**

Spencer Street Railway Station, you're dressed in your favourite colour of scarlet. Shoes polished, hand bag matching your suit case. A book in hand waiting for the wooden red train to begin the long journey to Mornington. This is your second train ride on your own, you have your own compartment on the train, first class has great privileges too.

The train sounds its notice to departing, you finish a page in your book and close it as the train starts the journey.

The train stops at Flinders Street Station, some passengers get off, many get on.

You lean your head back and feel the chug a lug lug, opening an eye when the train sounds, you see quite an amount of black soot smoke move passed the window.

Chug chug, a lug lug, rattles and rolls of the train are soothing, as too are the waves that crash in to the beach and rocks at your family's beach property.

Soon you are lulling to sleep… the train stops, people are heard moving around outside of your compartment.

"You wait till Shar sees you, you're going to be in …." The boy's voice is stopped mid-sentence and you were awoken because his voice was clearer than you've previously imagined.

His is the other voice that has been calling your name, but you've never been this close before.

Your eyes wide you turn to the solid doors, that hide those on either side. You up and rush to them, pull at the latch and open the heavy door.

A cute little girl walks by, another girl a little older and another one, much older with an even cuter toddler in her arms. They appear very similar in looks, most likely they're family.

You step out and observe them hurrying down the narrow corridor of the train. Far down the end of the corridor, you expect them to continue to the next carriage but they go in to the last compartment.

Their door is closed and curiosity strengthens in you. You stand there in wonderment. He said Shar, but his voice is the one you've heard occasionally saying Charlotte.

Slowly you make your way down to their door. Your ear at the join, hearing muffled conversation of a family of five. This is confirmed when the boy speaks to them of being sisters and having to do as their brother says so. The older girl argues back, two are heard giggling and the toddler most likely is too young to know what's going on.

With a hand on either side of the wall and door, your ears strain to hear, you lean closer …

There's a tap on your shoulder. "Something I can help you with Miss?" The conductor asks politely, but firmly.

Startled you quickly step back, "Oh, um no nothing. I was just curious."

Before there is more discussion the door to the compartment is pulled open by the boy behind it. The boy, … who looks …., very much …., like …., your younger brother!

You are frozen in time, looking at the boy, the boy looking at you, and the siblings behind him looking toward you two.

"Charlotte?"

**_~ years and years later after then ~_**

You have always wondered what happened of that boy and his sisters, especially around family times and festivals.

Of course after you met the other boy, he quickly closed the door behind him, so as not to confuse his sisters. You two shared a quick conversation, where he said he'd come down to your compartment at some point in the train journey. He never arrived, and when you went to enquire, they had changed trains.

That was because he knows the science rule of stories, that if you meet yourself or your alternate self, you'll implode.

Your opportunities took you to studying medicine and becoming a nurse, you married a rough and tumble hotel owner, and not long after were expecting the first of five children.

You had many friends throughout your child hood and as you grew, through schooling years you learned that many friends can stay in contact but some lose contact as they move around.

Your family are a strong sounding block for ideas, and many times you might have to fall back on them as life takes it's turns of fortune and ill decisions.

This was intended to be wonderful and fun. I hope it had been interesting and gives you dreams of what could have been.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Extra author notes: This was a piece dedicated and written with love. Good vibes to all of you, I hope you have the best Christmas for you. If it's not going so well, re-write it. I hope you all have a lovely safe New Year too.<em>**


End file.
